How to fix a stuck sunroof
Sep 14, 2011, 12:42 PM
#136
**NOTE** If it's stuck and you want to fix it real quick (assuming the motor still works period) you can generally push up on the headliner about center rear of the passenger seats and this will cause the motor to engage the tracks and close but this will not permanently fix the problem. For that see below...
I did this without removing any headliner.
Pull the rubber seal around the sunroof so the headliner is separate from the root.
Put on a long sleeve shirt
Put on rubber gloves
Tape said gloves to said long sleeve shirt
Get a towel and fold it up
Gently push down on the headliner facing the rear of the car and put the towel in the opening
Using a flashlight shine it straight back. That's your motor in the middle
Reach back and feel around the motor for the bolts holding it in place, there are 3 (headliner is lined with fiberglass so the shirt will protect your arm)
Tighten up the loose bolt(s)
Replace the missing one(s)
Put the weatherstrip seal back on
Call it a day
Find the missing one and get a replacement (I forgot the size)
I did this without removing any headliner.
Pull the rubber seal around the sunroof so the headliner is separate from the root.
Put on a long sleeve shirt
Put on rubber gloves
Tape said gloves to said long sleeve shirt
Get a towel and fold it up
Gently push down on the headliner facing the rear of the car and put the towel in the opening
Using a flashlight shine it straight back. That's your motor in the middle
Reach back and feel around the motor for the bolts holding it in place, there are 3 (headliner is lined with fiberglass so the shirt will protect your arm)
Tighten up the loose bolt(s)
Replace the missing one(s)
Put the weatherstrip seal back on
Call it a day
Find the missing one and get a replacement (I forgot the size)
Nov 15, 2011, 07:33 AM
#138
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I ended up loosening the bolts to the track ( I don't know if it helped much) and pulled it out through the back... The motor is in the way, and you have to "flex" the sun "shade" to clear the black bars. I got it out, but one of the clips it rides on was broken, and it turns out that was part of the reason my sunroof wasn't working properly. I dyed the headliner black but left the pillars, sun visors, oh **** handles, and the fabric surround for the sunroof grey and it looks really good. You will need 3-4 cans of dye but I would go with a dark grey if your headliner isn't filthy. I don't mind not having the shade, my sunroof is tinted and I want to see the sky when it's open.
Nov 16, 2011, 03:27 PM
#139
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I ended up loosening the bolts to the track ( I don't know if it helped much) and pulled it out through the back... The motor is in the way, and you have to "flex" the sun "shade" to clear the black bars. I got it out, but one of the clips it rides on was broken, and it turns out that was part of the reason my sunroof wasn't working properly. I dyed the headliner black but left the pillars, sun visors, oh **** handles, and the fabric surround for the sunroof grey and it looks really good. You will need 3-4 cans of dye but I would go with a dark grey if your headliner isn't filthy. I don't mind not having the shade, my sunroof is tinted and I want to see the sky when it's open.
, now lets see how tough it will be to put back in after I get it back from being re-upholstered.
Feb 11, 2012, 06:37 AM
#143
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I did this last night worked great but i lost two of the clips that hold the headlinner in behind the pillars does any one have a link of where i can order these?
Feb 24, 2012, 06:00 PM
#144
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I just did this too, thanks for the write up. I should have tried the sunroof again before I took the headliner all the way out, turns out it worked the whole time, no loose screws or anything 
Apr 19, 2012, 02:56 PM
#146
My god...thanks for the write up...Mitsubishi in San Leandro was trying to charge me $973.38 for PARTS and $540 for 4 HOURS of LABOR to fix my sunroof!!!
THATS $1513.38
$483.03 for the Housing, Sunroof - Part #MR991719
$405.11 for the Motor, Sunroof DR - Part #MN126654
$42.62 for the Cable, Sunroof DR - Part #MR523027
$42.62 for the Cable Sunroof DR - Part #MR523028
I am so lucky I decided to look online and do some research and found this!!!
The only thing that was wrong with my sunroof was exactly what everyone else's problem was...took the headliner off and two screws came tumblin out. Did everything as explained...took me three hours, locktite'd everythin and works like a charm now.
ONCE I TOOK OFF THE HEADLINER
Only one screw holding it on
I am extremely pissed off that they charged me to diagnose the problem but if they in fact did do a diagnosis they would of found that this was the problem!!! They said my wires were stripped and the motor was burned out because it was caught in the wire harness that came undone. THESE BASTARDS DIDNT EVEN CHECK and CHARGED ME ANYWAY!!!
The only thing they did right in which I wouldnt let them diagnose anything and told them to just do the work was that I asked them to re-flash my ECU to get rid of a pesky p0300...which by the way if anyone's havin a problem with that and has minor mod's there is a TSB from mitsubishi for a fix that is specific to the misfiring issue (but thats for another thread).
THATS $1513.38
$483.03 for the Housing, Sunroof - Part #MR991719
$405.11 for the Motor, Sunroof DR - Part #MN126654
$42.62 for the Cable, Sunroof DR - Part #MR523027
$42.62 for the Cable Sunroof DR - Part #MR523028
I am so lucky I decided to look online and do some research and found this!!!
The only thing that was wrong with my sunroof was exactly what everyone else's problem was...took the headliner off and two screws came tumblin out. Did everything as explained...took me three hours, locktite'd everythin and works like a charm now.
ONCE I TOOK OFF THE HEADLINER
Only one screw holding it on
I am extremely pissed off that they charged me to diagnose the problem but if they in fact did do a diagnosis they would of found that this was the problem!!! They said my wires were stripped and the motor was burned out because it was caught in the wire harness that came undone. THESE BASTARDS DIDNT EVEN CHECK and CHARGED ME ANYWAY!!!
The only thing they did right in which I wouldnt let them diagnose anything and told them to just do the work was that I asked them to re-flash my ECU to get rid of a pesky p0300...which by the way if anyone's havin a problem with that and has minor mod's there is a TSB from mitsubishi for a fix that is specific to the misfiring issue (but thats for another thread).
message me more details plz
Apr 19, 2012, 03:06 PM
#147
Do a search.
Back on topic, I fix my sunroof a few week ago. When I pulled the headliner out(which isn't necessary), 2 of the 3 screws fell to the ground and 1 was halfway threaded in. I pushed the sunroof all the way back then held the switch to "OPEN" until it stopped. Put all 3 screws in and it worked just fine. Very easy to do if you have about 30-45 minutes.
Back on topic, I fix my sunroof a few week ago. When I pulled the headliner out(which isn't necessary), 2 of the 3 screws fell to the ground and 1 was halfway threaded in. I pushed the sunroof all the way back then held the switch to "OPEN" until it stopped. Put all 3 screws in and it worked just fine. Very easy to do if you have about 30-45 minutes.
May 5, 2012, 01:06 PM
#148
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This just happened to me last night. I only dropped the back half of the headliner, took about a half hour. It closes in 2in spurts but i guess thats the computer "learning". Thanks for the write up.
May 11, 2012, 01:26 PM
#149
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Last week I left the sunroof open Overnight and I the next morning I go to close it and it makes a weird sound, I open it up all the way and it got stuck in that position it can only move a half an inch or less. It will move a half inch forward then it Will only move back. I take dOwn the back half of the headliner, find a bolt that fell out. I refasten the bolt and tighten the other two. After reattaching the battery with all 3 bolts tight the sunroof still only moves a half inch. Before with the headliner off I could see the motor wiggle as the sunroof moved back and forth a half inch from being closed. Now the motor is tight and doesn't move but there has been to change in how the sunrof moves. What can I do next? Has this happened to any of you? Did I mess something up?
May 12, 2012, 09:01 AM
#150
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I just want to conclude my last post because one of you might have the same thing. Even though the motor never fell down some teeth skipped. What I needed to do was take out all three screws, drop the motor down push the control switch back so the motor completes it's open sequence while the window is all the way open. Then I attached the passenger side bolt and the other two lined up, I screwed them in now it works flawlessly
Thanks everyone for your contribution on this thread you saved me money and frustration of havIng to go to the dealership.
Thanks everyone for your contribution on this thread you saved me money and frustration of havIng to go to the dealership.